Hey there fellas I have a friend and his mother inlaw has a truck in the driveway that's not doing anything but stores junk so I started asking about it superbowl night and the problem is it didn't pass smog and its in her husbands name, but hes in clink for 36 years..... opinions? I was thinking about a lien but I have no knowledge on that yet.....

 

Take the title to him and have him sign off

 

In prison?

Here's what I would do. Talk to the guy's wife. If she wants to sell it, negotiate a price (keeping in mind that it will need work to pass smog) and have her give you a bill of sale. Look up example bills of sale online and print one (or handwrite it). All it needs are the VIN, mileage, old and new owner's name, and a signature.

Take the bill of sale to the DMV and explain the old owner didn't have the title. Take all the other paperwork with you - registrations, insurance cards, etc. and make sure the clerk sees it - it helps you look legitimate. Tell the clerk that you want the vehicle titled and registered in your name and ask what you need to do to accomplish that. You will also need a temp registration so you can drive it to the smog shop.

Since the vehicle is so old, the DMV won't be worried about giving you a title for a vehicle without any lienholder information. They will give you a title as long as you have the bill of sale on an old vehicle.

Also - and this works at EVERY DMV, regardless of what you're trying to accomplish - if you don't get the answer you want from someone, try again later with a different clerk. DMV employees are state workers and they don't particularly care too much about the quality of their work. As long as they get you out of their window they (and their managers) don't care about much else.

I live in California and I've done this at California DMV's.

 

That would NOT fly here(NJ or PA). Applying for a lost title is one thing, but stealing it is another

 

Would be kinda funny....

Inmate #1: "What are you in for?"
Inmate #2: "Stealing your truck!"

 

^ Yup, what Brad said. Just make the effort to bring it to him, yes, in prison, and have him sign it. Did he have an attorney? Maybe-just maybe his attorney can legally sign it for you. Worth a shot...
Roger

 

You could always fix the smog issue and then place a mechanics lien on it.
The guy is locked up. If he's lucky he's making 50c an hour.
The state would only have an LKA on him.
I'm not sure of California law, but here, 30 days and it's yours.

 

Right on fellas I got the lein thing figured out today..california makes it pretty easy.. So here is the scoop I got to get into the truck today its a 1990 F150 xlt lariat this thing is immaculate on the inside and everything looks new under the hood... I think its going to be an easy fix. I seen some of the smog paper work in 07 it passed and he had the tranny rebuilt too then she tried to smog it in 2011 and it failed because it was high in everything! she said she smogged it right after she got back from backersfield with it... she never went back its been sitting since..
I was thinking about shooting a little wd40 in the combustion chamber before I start her up and look at the sparkplugs

 

Maybe check for codes?...Its better than guessing. Here's a website to help you out.

Www.fordfuelinjection.com